Commissioner for Persons Missing in Special Circumstances Artur Dobroserdov warns families who post information about their missing loved ones against fraud in Ukrainian public websites and instigators working for Russia.

In an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency, asked to comment on searching for missing persons through social media, he said, "There are pros and cons. The big minus is that there are people taking advantage of other people's sorrow – the scammers. Relatives, being in a difficult psychological state, are ready to believe in anything, to give their last for the sake of a loved one."

Also, according to the Commissioner, instigators are subscribed to some communities to stir up public tension.

"They first post relevant messages, then offer to switch to another Telegram channel, and there they systematically disseminate information that the authorities are doing nothing to search for missing people," Dobroserdov said.

In addition, he said there is a scheme of perpetrators offering relatives of missing persons to go to Russia, to the territory where their relatives are being held captive, and pick them up.

"Naturally, there has not been a single case of someone taking away a loved one under such a scheme," he said.

"We ask the relatives of the missing: if someone calls you and says they can help, be sure to contact the National Police of Ukraine," Dobroserdov said.

At the same time, he admitted that there are positive aspects in the facts of posting search messages.

"The exchange of information in social networks sometimes gives results. Now the families of the missing know each other more or less, they create closed communities. When they have something interesting for publication , they disseminate information," he said.

Giving advice to the families of missing persons, whether or not to write in social media, the Commissioner said, "It is better for a person to contact us, the Coordination Headquarters, the Red Cross Information Bureau – that is, the institutions that really deal with this issue. We will definitely work on the application."